The stunning star published a personal photograph on photo sharing website Instagram yesterday, showing her in a short denim dress standing next to her mother. The image sparked controversy among hundreds of followers who believed the 28-year-olds legs were too bony.

Fans took to their Twitter pages to label the brunette beauty "unhealthy", "disgustingly skinny", and "not eating".

The comments prompted Alexa to hit back. She replied to the criticism, insisting she was naturally thin.

"Hi, I am here. I can read. Ok everyone thanks for the teen angst discussions. People are different sizes. I'm not trying to be thinspo for anyone (sic)," she wrote.

Her statement did nothing to disparage followers from lashing out at the former MTV host. The barrage of comments continued, with some accusing her of being a bad role model.

"Terrible example for your young impressionable fans who look up to you," one wrote.

Alexa made one final reply before deleting the post. She signed off by saying, "I am now making this acct private. Byyyyyeeee (sic)."

The news comes two months after Alexa revealed she had been a victim of online bullying. She previously explained that people were posting nasty comments about her on the web.

"I hate online bullying. Those little comment boxes can brim with the most vicious, acidic, and pointless remarks. It basically got really nasty and they were like, 'We're going to stab you,'" she has previously revealed.